MY WITCH 19: Stop the Presses
by NotQuiteNormOld
Summary: Phobos is preparing the Ritual of Amalgamation. He needs symbols of Elyon's body, mind, and spirit. Martin catches a glimpse of a Hermeneuta beast from Meridian.
1. Chapter 1

"How could you let the guard Vathek escape! Now that he's aligned with the other world, he'll have revealed Elyon. Making it _that _much harder." Prince Phobos spat the words out as he thought of his sisters ghastly face. The Earth guardian would have been more believable as blood relation; he would have accepted it much more easily. But to believe that the middle class girl dubbed 'Elyon Brown' was blood of his beautiful parents. Himself. It was simply inconcievable. "We must prepare for her transfer, _now_!"

"But.." Phobos snarled at the weak Lord Cedric, who's point of veiw seemed to change under the Prince's glare - as if he could see Phobos despite Cedric's bowed head. "Then.. It is time, for the ceremony of Amalgamation.. To weaken your sister's resistance."

Phobos nodded as Lord Cedric shot him a wry grin, laced with falsed confidence. Phobos cocked an eyebrow and wondered whether to humble Cedric, by pointing out that the brave Lord was quivering. He thought against it. "Yes?"

"You will have the three items.. Soon." Phobos waved Cedric away then, growing tired of listening to the man's slick voice. He instead allowed himself to smell a rose; black; dead; cold. Phobos felt so cold without the power to fuel him. He had little of his own, but it was not enough. That was why Elyon was still alive. To serve for a greater purpose. He did so wish he could see something in her that he could pity; maybe he was beyond the feeling now. He didn't think so. He wished he could believe that he'd mourn her. A million black roses for his mother. A grey and dying castle, unkept as his father would leave it. To Elyon though, he would leave nothing. She could join the garden perhaps. To rot back into the veins of his mother's tribute and give back the blood that did not deserve to run through her common little body.

Phobos felt his eyes go dry at the rememberance of his mother, but wiped forcefully at the tearless orbs.[0] It was not his place to question the Gods. She had gone missing. Perhaps she had already ascended with her million black roses. Perhaps his father was there too. But he doubted it. They had misparented him. And he knew he was supposed to delight in their lack. In his freedom. But inside he could only forgive his parents not to know that they were doing them wrong. He forgave his mother for Elyon. "Show me my blood."

Sand spilt from his hands beore he threw it. A swirl as the message was understood. Elyon's face appeared. His blood. He waved away the image and closed his eyes instead. Listening for her voice. Only her voice. "Is our school paper _totally lame_?" Phobos smirked at her vulnerability.

**...**

"What's more than totally?"

Will Vandom picked out a news article, knowing that her sarcasm would fill the small void, and that the girls would catch on if she grew too quite. "_'Teacher parks too close to fire hydrant: almost'._"

"_'Wheat rolls in cafeteria: the untold story'._" Will grinned. She wasn't sure, but Hay Lin actually sounded intregued.

Will was about to sit forward and take a glance at whatever Hay Lin was scrutinizing, but Taranee snatched the copy up before she could glimpse. "And the Photos!" Taranee flapped the paper about, slapping it against her flat palm as if preparing to use it as a weapon. "Look at this picture of a wheat roll!"

"Um.. I think that's a teacher.." Will ground her grin tight, trying not to let it drop when she saw Elyon giving her a sideways glance. Everyone had been doing that today. "Mr Collins maybe?"

Will stared harshly at Taranee, straining not to glance back and see if Elyon's eyes had left her yet. The dark girl rearranged her glasses before giving up on the picture entirely. Will's eyes darted away when Taranee's met hers, then left almost as instantly, "Ooh, Irma! Why don't _we _join the school paper!"

Oh great. Will tugged at her sleeves as she wondered how she could've become the person no one wanted on their team in four days. Cornelia said they all expected her to cry at some point for the whole of yesterda, and that they were still waiting for it today considering that they'd seen no tears. In fact Cornelia was the only person acting normal, though normal wasn't normal for Cornelia.. Will pushed her back further against the chair, trying desperatly to become invisible. Cornelia was being nice. Everyone else was just being careful. "Thanks, but I think I'd rather be stung by bees."

"Speaking of pictures.." Will let the corners of her somber lips lift as Cornelia saw the way Will had 'shrunk' and winked playfully. Until now, Will had never the chance to see it, but Cornelia was much nicer than she thought. And half of the stuff she said around the girls was nothing like when she sat with Will in class first period - Will wondered if Cornelia was 'vapid' on purpose a little bit. Because in class Will knew she did well, and Cornelia was perfectly able to keep up a constant conversation with Will about other things, though Will supposed it was all probably a ruise to get to Caleb. "What about the pictures of me?"

"There _aren't _any.." Elyon grinned at Cornelia, waiting for the punchline of Cornelia's teenagedom-existance and Will let her shoulders slump slightly, relaxing. Cornelia really was a good friend.

"EXACTLY!" Cornelia let the paper flop to the ground as she dusted her hands of it. "And they call this a paper!"

**/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/**

"Hey Will." Will tucked a hair behnd her ear, smiling up shyly at Cornelia who'd walked straight past Elyon. Elyon let her face contort into anger, glaring at Cornelia. Will had been in a fire; _that_ Elyon had seen with her own eyes and even Elyon had noticed that Will looked paler than usual. Maybe since Saturday night she hadn't slept - Elyon wouldn't be surprised, in fact the only thing that had surprised Elyon was that Will was here. On a Monday. With double math. With an excuse not to be here at all. _And _she'd gone home with Caleb. Caleb! Caleb hadn't even been there - _had he come just for Will?_

"Cut the crap and sit with Elyon. This isn't your seat." Elyon blinked at Will, who'd obviously taken one look at Cornelia's worried features and change her mind about being polite. Elyon suddenly felt awkward as she realized that she wasn't the only one watching the conversation as Will frowned down at her book, hunching over the work and letting her red hair fall, masking her face. She was the 'fire girl' now.

"I saw Caleb take you home. He didn't shout at you did he?" _Shout? Why would he shout? _It didn't matter though, as Will peeked out and shook her head as Cornelia slid into the empty chair beside her. "What did he say?"

Elyon's little eyes widened slightly with interest, and she pushed her own messy bangs behind her ear, hoping to hear some sort of gossip. "Nothing. He didn't ask.." Will's voice was high, and Elyon wondered if the girl might burst into tears by the crack in her voice, like she hadn't used it in a while. Will sat up and pulled back about an inch of her thick jumper, revealing a bandage and on Will's face a smile. "He just did this and he left. Don't worry; he was lovely."

Lovely. Not charming or romantic, or dreamy, or wonderful. None of those words that detect a hint of something. Lovely. It was a word her mother used to describe someone who'd been polite on the street. Elyon turned back with a smile on her face, and the boy in front leaned back on her desk. "What did she say?"

"Lovely."

* * *

><p>I hope you realize that that was a flash back. \/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/ is my flashback mark.

[0] If you don't recognise that, I've given Caleb the same tendency; to rub at they're eyes when they aren't quite crying. In fact, the entire Phobos peice is a lot of showing Phobos' weak side, and also that childish resentment of a sibling and insulting them ( saying that she's not particularly beautiful, while the rest of the family is) because the sibling has something the child is jealous of (power MUAHAHA)


	2. Chapter 2

Jeeze, I only meant for a lickle-tiny flashback, but I couldn't stop so it's probably most of this chapter now.. I think I'll also do Will's side of the exact flashback down in the middle of this chap.. This was a pivital moment: when Will nearly died. Without relation to her being a guardian.

* * *

><p>"H-hey Mr Collins!" Cornelia's eyes widened and she looked from the approaching professor to the paper, lying limply on the floor. Cornelia dove to pick it up while Will grinned innocently at Collins. "Nice newspaper!"<p>

Collins beamed, and Cornelia smirked at the man. He was always trying too hard. Part of her still thought he deserved the swim and attack.

"You really think so?" Cornelia scrunched her nose slightly; his moustasche bounced up and down with every word he said. It was pretty distracting. 'Call me Dean' Collins grinned at Will, and Cornelia had to roll her eyes. "I'm the head supervisor you know!"

"Not something to be proud of.." Cornelia murmured, but only realized she'd spoken outloud when Irma sputtered, trying to withhold a laugh. Collins looked from Will to Cornelia, but Hay Lin was quick to distract.

"Oh! We love it at the restaurant for wrapping up fish-guts!" Distract was not the right word. Even Cornelia raised an eyebrow as Will grew redder every second, trying not to smile as Hay Lin beamed at Professor Collins happily. Mr Collins deflated, but Cornelia was glad that Will was having trouble not smile, rather than the vice-versa. It was bad enough what happened, but even good-hearted Taranee and Hay Lin had wrapped them selves in gossipy bets of whether Will was one step short of a break down. Elyon, was suseptable. Irma, Cornelia was not even surprised by. But she herself refused to let the experience be Will's outline for her. Cornelia wasn't being nice because of the fire. Cornelia was being nice because no one else was, and Will hadn't done anything wrong.

"I had only five students on it.. And the editor quit, so we're down to four.." Collins sighed and Cornelia wondered if yawning would be rude. Looking around, apparently every one of the girls felt the same way. "I don't suppose.."

Cornelia didn't hear any more. She was already halfway down the corridor with Elyon and Hay Lin running infront and Will in tow; her elbow pulled by Cornelia's hand. "Corny..Get off, he wont ask me anyway."

"Oh right, your traumatized." Cornelia kept pulling however, hearing Collins cry out Taranee and Irma's names, then th brunette's moan of anguish.

When she turned to glance at Will; not daring to stop; the girl was pouting heavily and her eyebrows were knit sulkily over her brown eyes. "I will be if you take my arm off.."

**/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/**

"Someone put fireworks in the bonfire."

Calebonly let himself nod, staring down at the dressing he was halfway throught tending her burn with. She'd shreiked when he put her on the counter; not scared, he thought, just a little surprised that he could lift her so easily; either that or the fact that he'd just scooped her up without a word, his hands on her hips - that's what he'd refused to let surprise him. Actually she'd seemed to think it was pretty funny, but now only silence filled the warm place of her kitchen. He realized then that he'd stopped using his hands. He tried to glance at her, but only got to her neckline before continuing with the bandage.

"That's how the fire started." Caleb wrapped a piece of medical-cloth several times around her wrist. It wasn't necessary, but by the way she kept tugging at the partly missing hem of her dress, he realized that she was more than a little self concious. He'd never really seen it as more than shyness before. But the dressings were clear and Will wouldn't like for people to see, as it might blister before it got better. It was barely a first degree and he wondered how she'd burnt so little.. Caleb focussed every morcel in his body to concentrate on being gentle. He didn't forget the way Aldarn discribed the need to take care with a female: korítsia eínai malakó. Girls are soft. Caleb couldn't remember the way it felt when he last touched a girl. A girl. Will probably. He wondered if that was true about being soft and barely letting his skin graze at even the bandage, he fumbled with a pin to hold it together then tried to speculate if she'd mind. He didn't think so. "Caleb?"

He'd let his fingers creep up her arm, and stopped only once he'd reached the crook of her elbow, letting rough fingers slide back across the bandage down toward her wrist. A tiny wrist. She hadn't been questioning the action itself, but instead she seemed to be asking him something when she'd said his name. Aldarn was right. Girls were soft. Caleb knew that he shouldn't be touching her though; even if only intending to be a friend. But he let his fingers slide down, creating a loop around her tiny little girls wrist and sweeping over a trembling hand. Warm, but in comparison to her usuall she seemed dead cold. He let his other hand meet the first, gently tugging hers up. Aldarn had always said his mother had done something along the lines of this.. He blinked away the damp in his eyes that was coming from the effort of concentration, or maybe from fear of what might've been lost. Will was already one of his very best friends. Caleb pressed his lips firmly on her dorsom. The back of the hand. Aldarn's mother kissed the top of his head, but Will was not a boy. Ladies got kisses on their hands. He'd read Cinderella. Well, at least he'd skipped through the pictures while he'd been sat in Hay Lin's room one day and the lady got a kiss on her hand while she was all covered in a torn dress.. Will's dress was certainly torn.

He felt better then. As pictures of how happy the woman had been filled his mind, and he smiled up at Will finding her almost smiling back. "All better."

When her hint became a smile he stood up properly, only then realizing how his knees ached from leaning over to her. Will's smile fell and he wondered if he should stay. Until her mother got home. He was pondering offering it; she'd offered to stay with him just that day so he could easily return the favor, but she smiled again, pretty almost, despite her tousled hair and pastey skin. "Maybe I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow?" Caleb frowned, trying to recall what was tomorrow, but he found nothing to think of and she grinned at him.

"Or the next day. After school maybe."

He realized what she was trying to say and grinned at the thought that she'd join the other's in 'hang time', inside also cursing that he'd implied that he was busy tomorrow when he had nothing to do other than listen to Hay Lin for twenty-odd hours. "Until 'the next day' then. Will."

**/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/**

"SWEET!" Irma sighed as she looked dejectedly at her dropped backpack and it's contents. If she had only left the bag she'd be safe with the others. Even Will had got away. Will didn't need to get away. Irma however was plonked down in front of her lock, with nothing left but her dignity.. Oh wait, she was plonked down on the floor..

"Evenings and weekends at school.." Irma frowned as she heard footsteps behind her. "Okay, could it get any worse?"

"Greetings!" Irma cursed her own luck as Martin swiveled around to smile at her; Camera clutched in hand. "Madam Boss! Now we can see each other _all the time_!"

Wonderful. Irma almost wanted to be Will.


	3. Chapter 3

"Journalism is not what happened! It's why!" Taranee Cook was proclaiming herself as if she was talking about the bible. "Isn't getting to the truth why we joined the school paper?"

Irma bit back the reply that she didn't. The Grumper sisters shrugged, "We wanted to write about clothes."

"I got detention." Irma smiled, for once understanding the bored look on Uriah's pimpled face as he tossed a scrumpled peice of paper. She was pretty sure that had been Martin's math homework scribed on the parchment.. "It was either this or cleaning toilets.."

"Is that job still open?" Uriah grinned at her and shrugged, making Irma wondered if _he _of all people would be the most interestion during this 'adventure'.

"We _need_ to put out a paper that matters! No more silly stuff about wheat rolls!" Irma snickered along with Uriah and the Grumpers as Taranee's eyes lit up and her arms out stretched; yeilding to the knowledge. Irma wondered if this paper would have an editorial cartoon segment. She could do that. "Real stories! That really matter!"

Irma noticed that Uriah was squinting at her, judgementally, and she automatically mirrored, a silent war of staring contests were likely to fill the evenings of Miss Lair's life. With Uriah, ugh. "YEAH!"

"Research! Fact checking!"

"I hear ya sister!" Irma gave up, allowing herself to turn to Martin; mostly just to see if she could trip him from where she was sitting, but he had moved toward Taranee.

"Let's get to the truth people!" Taranee punched a fist in the air and Martin pulled out his camera, yelling _'Hallelujah' _as though he belonged in some church. Irma let her head drop to the chair and decided that she hated her life. At least Uriah was stupid enough to be happy tearing pages out of Martin's jotter.

**...**

Cedric strode through the emptying corridors; the trick was to act like he belonged. Few people asked questions after that, and to the weakly protected human mind, Cedric could be very persuasive if anyone did. The only glitch in his plans was stood at the other end of her corridor, her locker open; her brown eyes darting between her backpack's contents and that of the little metal cabinet. He was stuck. If she saw him now he'd be done for, but as he took steps along the opposing wall, Will seemed to dizzy; leaning for support on her locker before pushing it closed and wobbling slightly away from him, barely taking in her surroundings. "Mind, body and spirit. Easy with the right combination."

Cedric pressed his hand against a locker he knew to belong to Elyon Brown, and the lock instantaneously began turning unhanded. Click.. Click.. The door swung open, revealing Elyon Brown's things.

**...**

"Now, who would break into _my _locker," Elyon Brown pushed her books into the small metal box, letting her question linger and wondering if Irma had taken a prank too far, "And then just take my hairbrush and a maths test? I mean I got a perfect score, but-"

Elyon stopped when Will stood up, shock etched into the girl's small features. '_Oh God', _Elyon prayed this wouldn't be the moment she cried. It had been three days without a hint, and as Hay Lin and Cornelia looked at Will with fear and hesitation, Elyon knew that they were thinking the same thing.

**...**

"It's gotta be Phobos!" Will's stomach lurched as she remembered her faintness, and images of the Prince's pretty face popped up in her mind; blurring slightly as her memories failed her the details she once had. She could remember the flowers perfectly though; bright pinks and yellows far too pretty not to be dangerous..

Will turned around and grasped Cornelia's shoulders, both for supporting the blonde and herself. She wasn't even going to bother Hay Lin; she knew the girl would listen to reason, and reason was against action. She hoped. "We're not even sure this has anything to do with him."

**...**

"Reprisentations of her mind _and _body." The items weren't strong, but they would do. Phobos let an uncalloused finger slide daintily over the shiny handle of the brush, before pulling away one frizzy hair. Even disembodied the hair was ugly. Plain. Slightly crooked where she'd tide her hair over again. Plaits. That's what she wore. "But I did encounter the Keeper in the school.. She was.. No troub-"

"What?" Prince Phobos wondered if he'd heard correctly, and by the slightly wry twist on his lower's face, Cedric had obviously predetermined the interest she would hold. What was she?

"Trouble." A lazy grin crossed the older man's face, and Phobos wondered if Cedric was getting cocky. "The Keeper wasn't any."

"She's dead." Phobos frowned. The roses should have killed her. Everyone one was dead when they touched a black rose. A cruel trick played on his gardener, who still believed his promise they were living. But the people would suffer alive. So he'd let them die. All of them. All who had touched another of the dead roses. Except Will. Prince Phobos didn't like the look on his serpant's face; Cedric was to serve him, not befriend.[0] "And Elyon's spirit?"

"Aquired tomorrow, my prince." Cedric dropped to one knee as Phobos carefully placed the mind and body into seperate glass cases; orbs that would drain Elyon's essence and call to the young adolescent. "Before the Earth sun sets."

* * *

><p>[0] If you recall the 1st few episodes, this contradicts his mocking, light hearted canter as he'd joke and be almost sarcastic with Cedric at times (usually talking via murmurers)<p> 


	4. Chapter 4

Btw, to 'Ryan' who asked.. Unless unforseen events prevent me from being able to type, I will be writing a bajillion of these episodes. I already have a good few possible villians lined up (and some Kandrakar sh*t will also be going down) - enough bad for at least 3 or 4 seasons, and I want another season of Phobos maybe - badder with a vengance.

* * *

><p>"It is beginning." Will rubbed at her temples, elbow resting on the table in front of her as she tried to listen to Yan Lin, ignoring Irma and Hay Lin's whispering complaint of Will telling them to sit here. But they should know this stuff too; they couldn't rely on her and Caleb for everything. "Phobos is preparing for the ceremony of 'Amalgamation'."<p>

" 'Ritual'." Caleb corrected absent mindedly. He was pretending to stare outside the window, but Will knew fine that he'd kept sneaking glances at her. She'd told him she'd be round on Monday, but after the way people treated her so carefully at school she'd only wanted to go home in her afternoons.

"Hair would be body. Perfect test for her mind." Caleb turned to squint at Yan Lin as he recognised what was coming next. Will wished he was telling her. Unlike Yan Lin, it didn't seem to take a century for him to talk, and she preferred his rhythm to that of the old woman's. "All that is left for him to capture is her spirit."

"Neither of the other fractions are particularly strong." Caleb's eyes stung with strong loyalty to his Princess; or maybe just a hatred for his Prince. It made his eyes look yellower when he talked of Phobos. She was sure it was anger that promoted the change, rather than obedience. "He'll need her breath for the ritual to work."

"But once he's performed the ceremony," Will grinned at the obvious frustration on Caleb's features. The old woman had totally ignored him. Completely disreguarded what he'd said. Caleb's hurt eyes flickered to Will again and he frowned, poutily, realizing she was laughing at him. She wondered if he was actually mad or just faking it. "A part of Elyon is already in Meridian. Her resistance to Phobos' emissary's appeals will weaken."

"That's why Elyon needs to know!" Will dropped her gaze from Caleb as his own face changed. Was it pity? It didn't matter as Cornelia would soon be expecting her rebuttle and for honesty's sake; Will didn't have much fight in her today.

"Cornelia!" Will hated how high pitched her voice sounded, and tried not to look directly into anyone's eyes as she could already imagine the charity written in their faces, feeling sorry for the poor little redhead, "We can't tell her! Either she won't believe us or- Or she'll totally freak! How does that help her?"

"Then someone needs to keep an eye out on her!" Will looked up at Hay Lin crouched over the map of portals; blank without the Heart. "Someone who doesn't go to school or work or have anything important to do.."

Will bit her lip and looked up to Caleb, but he was staring pointedly at someone else. A smile warped it's way onto her face, "Blunk do stake-out! Tail suspect! Report HQ! All for low-low fee!" Hay Lin tossed the little toad a onion ring, and Blunk munched happily, Will not sure if it was more funny or disgusting to look at him. "Fee deposited! Blunk on case!"

"Oh, yeah!" Cornelia was already in her face again, and Will struggled not to let her head drop hard against the table, "You wont let me warn her, but you're letting the wonder-frog watch her!"

"Cornelia!" The voice wasn't harsh, but Will silently thanked the intruder, Yan Lin, "You must respect Will's instincts."

Cornelia scowled, but Will concentrated on dangling the Heart over the map. It shone out and Hay Lin pressed her index on the cross. "New portal! Another one in the school!"

"Phobos is shaping the Veil. So that all of it's holes are near to his sister." Will gulped as realization dawned. The school. The school paper..

"Taranee and Irma are at the school right now!"

**...**

"I wish I wasn't in school right now.." Irma's voice rattled on in a constant drone of complaint as the Grumper sisters scribbled ferociously; occasionally coming up to her with 'a bite'.

"Gretta Miraeno wore her blue plaid skirt. Twice, this week." Taranee cared about knowledge. She cared about news. But now she just wanted to finish up and go home. Pride however, was stopping her.

"Okay, that's not exactly a story.." Taranee wondered how to avoid confronting the sisters' devilish side; one's head poping up as she denied the other's work.

"Ohhh! Just print it and let's go!" Irma wailed, tiredly, pretending to cry on the desk as Uriah smirked at her. But Taranee wasn't leaving. She wasn't done yet. "What was that?"

Taranee was about to deny 'that' being anything, but a noise again echoed through the ceiling and walls to her ears. Taranee took one look at Irma's slightly scared features and smiled. "Well.. Martin said he wasn't coming back until he had a story.. Which means he's in the cafeteria and that was probably him knocking over all the pans."

**...**

"Caleb.." Will was standing close beside him, and Caleb noted how much shorter than him she must have been. Biting her lip and curling her hair around a finger, Caleb looked down to her pained porcelain face, "Are my.. Instincts.. Okay?"

"You made a perfect decision Will, nothing less than I'd have ordered myself." Caleb frowned as she nodded, staring down, her bottom lip still reddening from excess bloodflow, he wondered how to relax her. "And what Yan Lin said was rubbish."

"Hmm?" Her eyes wandered up to meet his gaze, full of wonder and curiosity and making him smile at her, to reassure her. She thought he pitied her, but he only amazed at how she managed Cornelia, while he'd often had to threaten and physically persuade many men - tackling them down when they offered to fight him. He kept strugglers in shape by reminding them that he was by far the superior fighter. But Will only relied on word of mouth. She'd even defended Caleb's ranting at Gaea, something that outstanded and impressed Caleb volumes.

"Phobos can't shape the Veil. Elyon is growing in power and the Veil is drawn to that power." Her lips parted slightly in awe and interest, and he thanked that she'd finally stopped biting on them; it made him nervous. "Phobos is a cad. He doesn't have the power to shape the Veil; only the Great Creator has the power. Kandrakar. It is formed by that and seen as the Seal of Phobos is missing," Caleb grinned, stopping beside her as the girls walked on ahead, "By Kandrakar alone can it be opened and.." He smiled as she reached to the crystal around her neck. "Exactly fýlakas."

Caleb wrapped his hands over hers, gently moulding the dainty pair to clasp around the Heart.

"You have the power. There is a reason they did not give it to Cornelia."


	5. Chapter 5

Not much here, but Happy Birthday to TTigerz; any fluff in the chapters of today are dedicated to you as I know how you love the 'deviousity'.. There's not much yet, but I'll try to edit some things to get it in there for ya ;)

* * *

><p>The evening was drawing past, causing shadows to be heavily alluminated by the bluish light the night had exuded through the large windows. There was a chill in the air that tingled on Martin's skin as he breathed quick and shallow; causing his round-rimmed glasses to mist over in the rising contrast temperature. It was the school cafeteria that he'd chosen; mostly personal preference guiding him there for stories, because food-stories came quickest, and he didn't want to disappoint Irma by taking too long..<p>

So it was in the school cafeteria that he now stood; crouching behind the serving-counters while he waited for a better look at whatever was creating the racket. And growling. He covered his mouth and the eminating shriek with his right palm, and only then did he realize that he'd broken out into a cold sweat. He swallowed the thick, nervous saliva and shook his head, disturbing his mismatched blond hair. "A good reporter stays calm. A good reporter stays calm."

He didn't know how many times he said it out loud, but he continued the mantra in his head as he swiped his thumbs under his glasses and onto his eyelids, removing the thin layer of persperation that also covered the rest of his bared skin. He picked up the camera, cold and heavy as it was, and pulled the strap over his neck - not trusting himself not to let the expensive item from his quivering pale hands. Then he stood up. Straight and tall as if he felt brave. If anyone did think he looked anything close to fearless, they'd have made a strong misconception. He was shitting it..

Martin took a step back before his lanky body jumped in reaction to smashing glass to his right. It was in the kitchen. His heart had leapt, now beating irregularly as he touched a shaking finger to the button of his camera, at the ready to snap this beast. He swung himself over the table; now an adventurer like Bond or Jones, not the boy who'd walk _around _the counter. "Ha!"

He halted. Martin's eyes flashed over the scene before him; nothing was moving the furniture. 'Nothing' was moving the furniture. A nothing? That was silly.. But this was impossible.. He remebered the camera, now a second skin to his hands as he flashed shots, just as 'nothing' pushed open the door, leaving a splash of purple ooze in it's path. Martin had a story.

**...**

"I do wonder though.. About other powers." Will Vandom's eyes lit as Caleb continued to walk by her side, now almost at the school. She smiled politely when he studied her face intently, wondering what he meant. "Have you tried anything?"

"Not really.." This was a lie. In fact a blatant one as she had often willed for things to happen; thrusting her arms out in front of her and concentrating on pushing out of those palms until it hurt. It was no use. She didn't even have anything to push out. No powers. No flashy moves. Just wings on her back that provided her the ability to barely fly. "But I can't do anything."

"You're sure..?" Something about the way Caleb's brows barely creased forward; almost unnoticable unless you were looking for the movement, or perhaps knew his face well.. It made her wonder why she didn't have powers. Caleb then muttered something untelligable in his own language, but just the way he said it told her he was talking to himself, and she needn't be offended. In fact it was quite nice to hear him mutter the smooth words; they rolled off his tongue in an active, dedicated pace that made her feel relaxed by his side. It was nice to have somebody there. To reassure her. "I suppose that is why you have the best perception to lead."

Will frowned, pouting a tad as she stared in front of her for the rest of the short journey. _That _was all he could come up with? Will didn't even want to lead..

**...**

"WOAAHHH!" Irma peeked over the arm she was using as a pillow at Martin, who had shoved the door open and was now apparently dancing with glee. Irma _had _to be having a nightmare. "Exclusive story: School Ghost! Photos to come!"

"Martin, I told you," Irma blinked sleepily as she pondered whether it would take too much effort to yawn, letting Taranee deal with the stupid little munter currently skipping at the doorway. "That's called air conditioni-"

"Nuh-uh! No!" Irma let a shadow of a smirk draft her lips; Martin ought to know better than to fight Taranee, and this would be extrodinarily entertaining if she weren't trying to listen for the silence of sleep that had almost echoed around the room until the blond boy's arrival. "I saw it this time! ..Well, I-I didn't see it.. But.. I saw what it did! ..Or.. Em.. What it done.. Y-YOU'LL SEE!"

And with that the boy was gone, slamming the door behind him and causing the snoring Uriah, stretched out on a table in the corner of the room, to grunt and moan. Great. Now Irma was 'awake'.

**...**

"Periménete! Wait!" Caleb shone his torch over the navy sheet of darkness that had been brushed over the objects of the kitchen behind the canteen. At least none of the paper group would have seen it, behind the doors signed with 'RESTRICTED ACCESS'.. But there was something else here.. Something Meridian.. He could smell it. "Don't close the portal!"

His outstretched palm in Will's direction caused her to look over, concerned. It was her power to close it, but if something was here they couldn't well send it back without a tear. Her fingers curled up and around the crystal pendant, which fell limply in her hands. "Wha-"

Caleb bent down to a crouch to look at the suspect purple slime, oozed over the floor and walls.. He dipped his fingers gently, feeling the familiar cool sensation. "It can only come from one thing. A Hermeneuta beast."

Hay Lin snorted and at a raise of his eyebrow she shrugged, making a face of disgust looking past him to the slime. "I'm afraid to ask?"

"A what?" Caleb let his eyelids slit as Cornelia looked at him as though he were crazy. It was not his problem that she was uneducated of Metamoor's nature preservings, and although he was happy to alaborate for those unknowing, to Cornelia and the bluntly disrespectful, he would almost consider sending her away blind.

Caleb chose to ignore her, standing and stepping forward to tower beside Will, who's face was contorted into a concentrated thought process; he eyes narrow and a frown pairing with her left bottom lip between teeth, growing steadily redder he wondered how often she drew blood. It was a fascinating habit: the way she showed restraint. The way she showed thought. The way she tried to clamp away a laugh or a smile. None of the other girls bit lips. Not as far as he knew, though he supposed unless it was prominant he wouldn't have noticed. You had to know the face. The person. Caleb knew what she was thinking, and he truely wished to think the same.. "Maybe it went back in.."


	6. Chapter 6

Will nodded, but the tone of Caleb's voice told her not to believe him. _He _didn't believe him. "Maybe it got scared, or hungry, or- WOAH!"

The clashing of metal on metal, mixed with the girls shrieks and Caleb's had led to Will blushing furiously as she let go of his shirt; having fisted material from back and chest as she'd jumped against his arm. He was smiling. Baring teeth. Laughing, silently at her as she wrenched away from his body as jerkily as she'd attached. She glared at him through a moody frown, hissing under her breath as the girls looked around for the 'beast'. "Shut up Caleb, you were scared too!"

"Mmm..?" Caleb was searching too; his eyes roaming the room as he pressed his lips tight together to hide his childish smile. Sure it wasn't in his periferal vision, Caleb glanced at her, smiling sweetly and sardonic. "I didn't say anything."

Something seemed to smash into Caleb from the side, causing him to fly up before crashing back to the ground, and Will's heart to lurch as she realized there was.. Nothing. Caleb swept fingers through his hair as Will darted the light of her torched around the room, "I didn't see anything.."

He craned his neck either side, trying, but failing to get a crack as he smiled through his discomfort. "When it gets upset it becomes translucent.."

"WOW!" Will thought fast and quickly looked left; the right of her forhead hitting hard tiles as she flew head first into the floor. She felt cold, wet and sore. Very sore. She'd have hoped for a hand up, but Hay Lin and Cornelia were busy shrieking, Caleb standing.. Doing nothing.

"Shht!" Will automatically held her breath, not entirely sure why, but her instint reaction to the command. "You can only see it when it's calm! Don't move."

Will froze completely, not even breathing as the torch shone brightly on the corner of the room, where the air seemed to solidify and.. Change. It almost looked like a pig. A proper hog, with eyes propped up on tentacles and a heavy stream of purple.. Ew, spit? She was covered in it. "That's what did all this?"

"It's a juvenil'." Caleb grabbed Will's arm, pulling her to her feet slowly; his eyes on the pig. It was a child? It _was _pretty small, but Will hated to think what the adults might be capable of..

"Aww! It's so cuuute!" Will made a face and Caleb snorted, leaving her wonder whether he'd seen her, though she'd had no intention of him seeing the disgusted warp of her features, "Can we keep it?"

"Sure.." Will felt her face fall, her entire body sluping now an instant reaction to hearing Cornelia's sarcasm as it prepared her victim. Cornelia didn't joke. She spat. "Why don't we be Guardians of the Veil _and _raise a slimy, invisABLE PIG!"

"WAAAHHH!" Will jumped beside Caleb, recieving a hand on her shoulder as Hay Lin was attacked by the swine; the grip failing to reassure when it tightened due to the pig carrying Hay Lin alone and slamming her upside down into a wall. "Bad pig."

Will pulled out the Heart, Caleb stepping back as she called out, "Guardians unite!"

**...**

"Okay! Easy now!" Caleb shook his head as Hay Lin tentavely reached her hand out to the Hermeneuta beast. As he silently predicted, the beast's visability wilted and Hay Lin had to fly up to dodge the beast, and the trail of saliva it left.

"EARTH!" Caleb had to step back as several large bricks slid a little too close to where he'd stood, supposedly providing a protective barrier. He didn't see much protection in Cornelia removing his face.

The dust rose as the Hermeneuta beast slammed into the wall; knocking over the uncemented bricks with ease, and lunging as him, while Will nervously rattled in the background, "This is 'fun', but how do we get it closer to the portal?"

"Aahh!" Caleb felt the Hermeneuta clench on his shin - the thing was certainly strong enough to pull him along, as proved as he began skidding forward, legs first. "It's got my leg!"

"Leave him alone you slimeball!" Caleb grinned as he tried to pry his leg away, tempted to ask her to whom she was talking. In a second her arms were linked under his arms, wrapped around his chest as she tried to pull him away. He could picture her delicate wings flapping desperately, floundering though, under the Hermeneuta's heavy strength. He could hear her effort in her voice, as she dug her feet into the ground beside him.

A gush of wind brought about a tornado, and he could hear Hay Lin giggling as they were forced to fly in an endless circle; only then did he realize that Cornelia had also been tugging, Will's hand released his torso, her hand trying to keep a hold as she yelled out for Hay Lin to stop, her voice lost in the wind. "Stop! It's gone!"

Hay Lin obviously heard his attempt, his body suddenly falling hard against the tiles, immediately joined by Will, laid out on top of him. He barely met eyes and grinned before Cornelia joined the bodily pile up. Cornelia and Will stood up, but by the time he was on his feet Will had already gone. "Who left the door open!"

"Will?" Caleb ran, the girls flying where Will's heavy footsteps had led, pushing open a swinging door and finding Will standing in the center of the corridor, staring out at a drool covered floor and wall of lockers. He frowned at the door at the end of the corridor - swinging slightly from the momentum of the Hermeneuta - and he felt the energy heighten as Will detransformed them.

"Get the mops."


	7. Chapter 7

**TTigerz, this is 'your' chapter. I thought you'd appreciate the awkward cuteness. :L :L**

* * *

><p>"Arketá Will?" Will pushed the mop through the violet gunge and grinned through clenched teeth. Apparently this gunge refused to be cleaned.<p>

Will gave up, only for a moment as she sighed, tiredly. "What Caleb?"

"You're being very brave." Will's brow furrowed, then raised. What was that supposed to mean? It wasn't _that _dangerous.

"It's just a slimy pig Caleb, I'm not worried.." But Will knew that face. Her mother made that face when she didn't think Will was looking. Her teachers were still making that face when she _was _looking. Mr Lair had made that face. The girls, the school and even Cornelia made that face whenever her back was turned or she got upset.. She didn't think Caleb would have looked at her like that. She knew her features had darkened, her tone changing to that of a child who's tired of walking round the stores with mummy. "I'm fine Caleb."

"I know! I know.." He repeated to recover as he'd over stated the blunt lie as he flustered nervously, also giving up on the mopping. "But if you weren't.. That would be okay too Will.."

He was lengthening it. Drawing out his words as he tried to formulate what to say next. Will could only blink at him, wondering what on Earth he was talking about.. Then again, Caleb wasn't even _from_ Earth.. "Caleb.." Will sighed, the day had been a long one. Mostly for the same reasons Caleb's ears were reddening in front of her now.. "Just get to the point."

"If you want to cry, Wi-"

"If I what!" It had been said immediatly; like he was ripping off a bandaid, but it'd have stunned her as much if he'd taken his time.. She wondered if he was kidding. If it was a joke. But he looked serious enough; almost defiant of her rideculing surprise. The girls weren't in her, but she flushed darker all the same.

"Akoúo." She didn't know what he'd said, but it stunned her into silence as he neared her, towering over too close for her to feel comfortable with. For a breif second it flashed through her mind that he might kiss her, but the moment evaporated fast, with Will going redder for it, unsure where the idea had come from.. The romantic language perhaps; she was sure that many of the men in her mother's rather amorous taste in novella had the ability to speak in Italian or some other ridiculous language.. She was sure Greek was one of them, but she quickly shook away the thought-process as she forced her embarrased self to look directly into devastating green eyes. _Did she say devastating? _Will's concious' quiry caused another rush of bloodflow to her cheeks as she tried to convince herself she'd said dark.. 'Dark'. _But Caleb's eyes aren't very dark.. _"If you want to cry, Will. It wouldn't be deficient. You aren't weak."

The constant argument in Will's mind ceased as she looked at him speechless. That was quite possibly the single most sweet thing he'd said.. The colour that had spent so much time working it's way up there, drained from her face as realization seeped in of what she was thinking.. _Who _she was thinking of.. The first urge was to slap him. Surely he was doing this on purpose, so at the moment she was weakest he could snap back and win their usual game of war.. But then she realized he might not know. And then she'd just be telling him about her ever so slightly un-'friendly' thoughts.. No, that would be no good. Will forced a smile and a laugh, "Haha.. Yee-ah, no offence Caleb, but if I wanted to cry, I would _not _be doing so in front of you. I'm actually serious when I say I'm fine.."

"Oh.. Okay."

* * *

><p><strong>Arketá -<strong> a complimenting word (it's direct translation being pretty, quite, or enough) it generally means 'enough' as in 'just right' or, for Caleb: _'as I like you to be'_.

**Akoúo -** Listen.


	8. Chapter 8

"Ghosts to the left of me! Ghosts to the right! I fought! But I was out numbered! One lifted a desk!" A girl raised her hand in skepticism of Martin, who told his story from the front of the class; an incredibly annoyed looking Professor Roberts standing and clicking his tongue in the sidelines.

"Uh, last time you said it was a chair..?"

"Oh, yeah, well it was one of those desk-chair things a lot of schools are using now, okay? Please! Hold your questions to the end!"

"Let's get back to studying _'Geography'._Not ghosts." Roberts' intrusion signified that the period's relaxation time was over. Class would begin. At least during Religious Studies Mr Puddington had been immensely impressed by Martin's tale; listening intently for the duration of the period. Now, Hay Lin turned to Taranee.

"Caleb watched the school all night. Nothing." Taranee's dark eyes flit across the backs of people's heads, making sure that no one was paying attention to the fact that their alien friend had been breaking into a school he didn't even go to, but all eyes seemed to be at the front. "I guess even a crazy 'destruct-o-pig' has to sleep!"

A rumbling noise drew closer and clashing of metal awakened the whole class as Mr. Roberts ran to the door. Joining the other pupils peeking out, Taranee grimaced at the wash of slime coating the floor and walls.. At least she hadn't had to clean it up last night.. "Oh! Ectoplasm!" Martin Tubbs ran forward, pulling the strap of his camera around his neck. Irma, who'd been seated at the front of the class away from herself and Hay Lin for chatting, growled something under her breath. "Sorry teach' Geography takes a back seat to the people's right to know.. THE TRUTH!"

Taranee really wished she'd never said that to him.

**...**

"You will find the princess. Capture her. And steal her breath." Phobos' growl was fast paced; the younger man's patience wearing thin. Lord Cedric knew that Phobos was growing weaker. Losing that touch on Godliness as he became more human again. Prince Phobos seemed his ruthless self, but his lack of empathy for the plain girl who acclaimed the rights to the thrown was disregardable if Cedric considered another, more human instinct. Craving. Itch. Call it what you will. Prince Phobos was once again becoming a man. And it was scaring him.

Lord Cedric smirked lazily; if he was to be punished for his charisma he'd already be dead, so little caused Cedric to fear his Prince anymore. Impatience was not a virtue and the murmurers were now the biggest threat Cedric felt, though he doubted the Prince would be able to recreate the events of Caleb. "I have captured her friendship. Her spirit, she will present to me willingly."

"Yes, yes. Quickly." The murmur-children shrieked out an echo of Prince Phobos' inner turmoil, and several plants grew shape into monstrous-looking things, with thorny teeth and stony eyes, which did not shine or blink as they opened their leafy mouths in a silent roar of anguish. As Cedric said. Impatience was not a virtue.

**...**

"So far Martin has nothing! And what he says.. No one believes." Cornelia rolled her eyes to Will, before remembering she was angry at the girl, as Irma 'sneakily' hid herself behind her jacket - pulling the length of material in front of her face and peeking over every so often and watching Martin Tubbs with shifty eyes.

Beside them, leaning on the locker, with a pair of consicuously _'inconspicuous' _shades propped at the end of her nose as Hay Lin and Irma milked the idea of playing spy. It was hard to believe that these girls were _only _a year and a year younger than her. Three seemed more appropriate. "Good thing he's not popular.."

Will pulled the sun-glasses from Hay Lin's face, folding them closed and handing them seriously to Hay Lin, who pouted a little. "We've gotta get that thing home, but we can't let anyone see us do it as 'W.I.T.C.H.'.. Martin?"

Oh great. Now the girl was getting side-tracked from the job.. Again. They'd never get around to saving Elyon at this rate, and Cornelia was not particularly happy with the idea of putting any faith in Blunk. "Will! We-"

"What's with the sleeping bag bro?" Cornelia fumed at the interruption, but couldn't help snorting at Hay Lin's attempt to fit the word 'bro' into a conversation casually. It just didn't sound.. Natural.

"Oh, I'm stakin' out this joint." Cornelia knew it was her problem too, but couldn't stop the gleam of humor in her eyes as Will's face fell with her frustration. "Day _and _night."


	9. Chapter 9

Here comes the extra fluff at the end of the chapter! Oh, how I love writing Caleb!

* * *

><p>It was like she was being watched. Elyon smiled sweetly as she walked along, not allowing herself the privilege to glance around. It was bad enough that Martin Tubbs' 'ghost' story was starting to spread like a fact. Elyon would not be subject to insanity. Someone was following her. She was sure of it. But she didn't know what to do until later.. She couldn't trust anyone here. Elyon Brown tugged her books a little tighter to her chest and stared down at the ground as she walked on. No one would understand. Everyone would put it down to the ghost which was 'knocking pupils like bowling pins'. Her parents would laugh and her mother would kiss her head as if she were a small child. Ridiculing her. She'd sort this out later.<p>

**...**

Night drew closer and MArtin began to regret his promise to stay in the school. It had started raining. Thunder rumbled and lightning made the rain on the windows' shadows pattern his face as he crept through the halls, camera clutched at the ready with his knuckles growing steadily whiter..

**...**

"Guys we have to get that portal closed! That's our job as guardians." Ever since last night, Will had been touchy, and Caleb suspected it was due to his meddling in her emotional status.. He wished he'd never said anything. It was incredibly awkward for him to say those things. He'd wondered if he was supposed to pat her shoulder or if she'd have wanted him to hug her. He'd worked himself up for over forty minutes before he finally said everything he could to comfort her. He'd assumed she was upset. That she needed comforting. He'd almost wanted her to need it because a part of him was still convinced he'd awaken from this day dream and be standing at Irma's gate, looking across to four where there would've been five. Sirens screaming in his ears as people blur past him, talking to police officers on the scene. The two firemen would say that it was a close call. That they couldn't have done anything. And then there'd be the blackened grass with a red and white tape squaring it off.. He'd seen a few cop shows now. He knew how they dealt with deaths.

"Not before we get the Hermeneuta beast back in." He'd said it rudely. Ignorant of her feelings. He was sick of Will changing face from happy to angry all of the time. She had no reason for it. And it usually went with some awkwardly coded structure of words.. He faintly recalled her scolding the way he 'looked at her'. What did that even mean? It meant she was mucking around. Trying to make up a reason to piss him off. Caleb refused to give in to her form of attack. He refused to fight her.

"Then we have to do it tonight! We have to do it as W.I.T.C.H.!" Caleb smiled, Hay Lin standing up with emphasis of her hearty proclamation. She looked like she was trying to be funny, with all of the dedication she put into her words.

"Did you forget about Martin?" Will smiled sardonically as she raised one eyebrow past Hay Lin, to him. "He's sleeping there to get his 'scoop'."

"Ooh he's stubborn!" Hay Lin slid back down into her seat, and Caleb knew that Will wasn't lying or exaggerating her point. There really was a boy in the school. "Nothing can get him to leave the school!"

"Actually.." Caleb frowned at Cornelia, her smile devious and her blue eyes sparkling. She had an idea, and at this point anything was better than Caleb's idea to just lock the 'Martin' kid in some cupboard or something.. "I can think of one thing that might.."

**...**

"Are you sure you're okay?" Will frowned, willing for Caleb to go away and flirt with 'Gaea' instead. Anything was better that this. "You're acting..-"

"Tired, Caleb. Tired." Will was tired. Tired of this 'new' Caleb, basically waiting on her feelings, hand and foot. She'd rather he made fun of her. She'd rather he'd yelled at her idiocy. But it hadn't really been her fault and she supposed he knew that. She supposed he was just trying to step around her in case she exploded into a turmoil of tears and screaming. That's what everyone else was doing. "I'm just tired."

"I was.." Here it was again and Will felt a lump rise in her throat, and she knew the girls were right ahead so if he was going to upset her now she wouldn't be able to hold it in. He really wasn't going t stop until he'd made her cry. She'd been fine until last night. Sure he'd left on the Saturday and she hadn't been able to sleep without the TV and all the lights on, but then she'd been fine. Casually awkward during school and boringly solituded after, but it'd go away. Drift into the past as time moved on and everyone else found peace in themselves. And then he'd come and resurfaced. Taken all of those fears that he'd been the one to help sweep aside for her and thrown them back in her face. Why had he done that? Thanks to him she hadn't even slept last night thinking about it. About why she hadn't cried.. Was she supposed to? Well, he was doing a pretty good job of helping her feel worthless right now; she wasn't weak if she cried.. Did that make her weak not to? "I had thought.."

"What Caleb!" Will slapped a hand to her mouth. The girls had whirled around due to her harsh words. Her voice had been raw and throaty. She knew what they were thinking. This was it. Her dry eyes refused to confirm their suspicions. Caleb stood beside her, totally stunned.

"I really thought you were gone Will. It scares you to think you might never see a friend again." Will shrank slightly as she realized how rude she'd been. He was upset. That's why he was asking her if she wanted to cry. He was worried about her and she'd laughed in his face last night. And when she thought about it, it had to be worse for him. To think that someone you knew.. Someone you talked to.. A friend, no matter how close.. To think they were gone forever. Even for a millisecond Will doubted she could handle it, so why was Caleb any different? Because he was from Meridian. Will frowned, knowing that it wasn't a faulty reason.. He should be used to it.

"You're a rebel leader Caleb. You see dea-"

"I expect people to die in Meridian Will. People die in Battle." Caleb was a step ahead of her; anger in his demanding eyes from the way she'd brushed away his remorse. "I didn't think of.."

"Oh." Will suddenly felt incredibly embarrassed. Of course he'd assumed. Earth was his 'safe zone'. Apparently accidents didn't occur to happen on Earth in Caleb's eyes and she should've known he'd feel this way. It was her fault too. Her and the girls had led him to believe that nothing much could hurt him here. That nothing bad could happen. Caleb didn't know about muggers and car crashes and rapists. Caleb didn't know that people did stupid things here, like putting fireworks in a bonfire.. "Oh, right, yeah.."

In the background Will could feel Cornelia's glare, while Hay Lin cooed in the background, "Oooh, isn't he the sweetest friend ever!"


	10. Chapter 10

"No! I won't do it! Forget it!" Irma refused to look at her friends, waggling an accusatory finger in their direction. What they were suggesting.. Was worse than cannibalism. Self-cannibalism. She'd rather eat her own hand. She peered to the left and her friends held up a fancy jacket with grins on their faces. But it was Caleb who made her sigh, the lovable twerp just _had _to have told her about Will. About how he'd been so idiotic not to count on accidents. He poor guy thought he was responsible for keeping them safe as 'older brother' and for Will and Cornelia she supposed it was more just responsibility as a friend. He blamed himself for Will near slip of death, but she also got a hint of rejection when he'd reinforced how fine Will had been.. How she hadn't needed him. It was hard to be a good friend when the person was pushing you away. So it was Caleb's hint of a smirk that made her give in. He was a great friend. "I.. Just hand me the stupid lip gloss."

"Remember! You have to keep Martin away the _whole _evening!" Caleb better cheer the hell up because of this. He owed her now. "So we can get W.I.T.C.H.!"

If they thought she was using her powers to help clean up they were boldly mistaken. "I'm going! I'm going! I'm.. Going.."

"MY, MY, MY! DON'T WE LOOK LOVELY! And by we, I mean you.." Irma scowled, hearing snickering behind the door as she tugged the short skirt down over the provided fishnets. Oh how Irma hated Cornelia.. And she hated Martin, wanting at that moment only to wipe that wry smirk off his face. As _if _he'd have a chance with her.. Under normal circumstances. "What's up?"

_CLICK._

Irma grabbed for the door handle. They'd locked the door! _Oh, how mature.. _Irma wondered why they couldn't have just locked Martin in here for the night, but knew that Martin would probably have a spare key anyway.. "Uh, Martin, woo- would y-you like t-to go-ooh.." This was harder than she thought and she rattled the handle again, just making sure as she heard a loud bang on the door; probably Will telling her to hurry up.. "Em, would you like to go.. Out."

"You mean a date?"

"No, n-n-n-no, no, no! Not a date! ..As such.." Irma waved her hands out in front of her, receiving another bang on the door as Martin raised a suspicious eyebrow.

"Oh, well.. If it's not a date.. I've kinda gotta stay here and catch this ghost.."

He turned away and Irma shook with rage as the bangings became a constant tapping on the door. That was way too annoying for Will.. It had to be Caleb. "Alright! It's a stupid date! Whoa-aah!"

Irma glared back as Martin pulled her along the corridor.. Will was holding the handle and Caleb was standing beside her; the beasts! Cornelia had her own though; standing with Hay Lin in the center of the corridor, waving happily as Irma was dragged by Satan into the depths of Hell. They would pay. They would all pay.

**...**

"It's Guardian Time!"

**...**

Blunk was hiding under a newspaper as the rain bounced heavily of the ground and Yan Lin's umbrella. "So little passling.."

"Elyon go home! Then go school! Then Blunk see scary strange person!"

"Yes?" Yan Lin bent forward a little; intrigued.

"Reflection Blunk in window! HAHAHAHA!" Yan Lin grimaced, knowing that there wouldn't be any news from the small passling, who's smell was emanating due to the rain. At least Phobos did not have her breath.. Yet..


	11. Chapter 11

Caleb stood, breathing quietly with only the sound of the girls' wings interrupting the silence as they fluttered around him.. The Hermeneuta beast stood, clearly visible and panting slightly; only a few feet away, and Caleb was aware that Will was closest, right of him. "Okay, we've got it into the hall. Now we've just got to chase it into one of those nets.. Go!"

The chase was on as Caleb charged at the beast, the girls' above him, he knew Will was following slightly behind; running against the walls whenever she took a turn too steep for her skill of flying. It didn't matter though as the net collapsed over what appeared to be nothing, the pig writhing and squealing out as they landed around it. "We did it!"

"Now, we throw it in the portal, _I _close it up.." He was glad that Will finally sounded proud of that fact, but when she grinned at him, all Caleb could do was avoid her gaze, feeling terribly awkward for what he'd admitted to.. He was glad she'd interrupted; he doubted that she'd think quite so much if he'd had a chance to finish. He didn't care when people died in Meridian. That's what he'd nearly said. That he hadn't expected it to hurt so much just because she was gone. Because he'd wanted to take her away from the stupid party and wrap her with stories and knowledge about the Metaworld. He wanted so bad to be back in Irma's kitchen, winding his opinions around her and watching as her soul poured out through her eyes, while they hid from her birthday and all the people she barely seemed to know..

"And we get home in time to shower in disinfectant." But there'd been that boy; who she apparently preferred as a friend to him.. Caleb wondered if the same was still true.. Hay Lin wrapped an arm around Cornelia as the blonde squeezed the purple ooze out of her flaxen hair, shuddering.

"Oh.." Hay Lin gave Cornelia's shoulders a squeeze; smiling down at the invisible creature fondly. Caleb hoped not. "I'll kinda miss the little guy.."

Caleb chanced a look at Will, just in time to see her features change as a horrendous, yet familiar sound of crashing and squealing came toward them. A large splodge of slime became hidden as another Hermeneuta beast came into view.. "Apparently so did it's mother.."

**...**

"Okay, it's mad." Will happily stepped back for Taranee to take the front as the Hermeneuta beast charged for them. It was huge. Taranee lunged into the air, slicing fire from nothing and sending it in the direction of the disappearing mother beast. The fire seemed to scrape past it without managing to do damage, and Will jumped when it charged through them, pushing her back against Caleb's shoulder, and sending Hay Lin flying into a wall.

The other girls regrouped as Caleb and herself took back-to-back, circling to look out for the monster. "Okay.. Any guesses?"

"Will!" Taranee's voice called out as she screamed; the Hermeneuta having thrown her across the floor from her side. She tried to squint past the dizzily swimming image of the room, but it's yell was coming toward her again and Caleb's back became her view as Cornelia screamed and the tiles danced from their place on the floor to the beast, knocking it over.

"EARTH!" Caleb was taking steps back as a chair swung at the beast through the air, being immediately chomped down by the Hermeneuta. Will wondered what he'd expected to do, and stood up, rubbing at her head as every thing became clear again; her dizziness subsiding. As Caleb looked awkwardly at her, then away, Will stepped back, letting the Hermeneuta beasts run; the youth having got out of it's restraints. Cornelia again scraped long fingers through slimy hair, "I never thought I'd say this.. I envy Irma."

**...**

"_Two towels.. Two towels.. One for my face.. One for the face I show the world._" Cedric smirked as the water guardian sighed with boredom; totally unaware of his presence sitting directly parallel to her. "_Which is better? And which is wetter? ..Two towels._"

Irma Lair clapped loudly against the faster pace of everyone else, and Cedric smiled politely to the speaking poet. Beside her snapping pictures was a young boy, shorter than her with thick glasses and messy blond hair. "Wasn't that great?"

"Oh yeah, better than the one about the two soaps." There hadn't been one. The water guardian's humor was dry, though no match for his Prince Phobos in a good mood.. "Hey, Elyon! What are you doing here?"

Cedric sat a little straighter as he listened intently for the Princess' words. Cedric didn't doubt that the guardians knew of Elyon's posture in society, but apparently they had chosen not to involve the girl herself. That gave him some time. "Oh, I'm just here because I help out in the store some times. You?"

The fact was an understatement. Elyon Brown had been in his store every day for the past week. Today she'd arrived, sure that she was being followed, and Cedric wondered if that was why the water guardian was here now. He had actually expected two of them.. But Cedric was disappointed to find out that neither the murmur boy, nor the redhead were here. "I.. I-I.. We- ..We.."

"We're dating." The boy said the words casually; nonchalant; slinging her arm around the water guardian's shoulder and using his other hand to first rearrange his glasses, then pop his collar dramatically.

Cedric smiled as the guardian peeled away his arm, "Oh no we are not!"

"I better get back to school then.."

"OKAY! WE'RE DATING!" Cedric wondered why the guardian was being so temperamental, though Prince Phobos who's humor matched hers also had outbursts.. He supposed the two were quite alike.

Elyon slurped away the remainder of her drink, and Cedric saw his chance, walking directly toward her as she shook the empty cup. "Elyon, let me throw that away for you!"

Cedric frowned uneasily as Elyon smiled, crushing the cup in her hands. "Nah, I've got it."


	12. Chapter 12

"AIR!" Hay Lin made a pile of tables between them and the beast, but Caleb winced as the wood splintered easily and went flying. The pig was not giving up without a fight and as far as Caleb could see, it was winning.

The beast lashed it's body into metal doors; contorting them with it's sheer strength and weight. Caleb followed, wishing that Will wasn't by his side so he could think. This was no time for shame. "Uh, have we got _it _cornered, or has it got _us _cornered?"

Caleb barely got to give Will a grim look before suddenly he hit the floor, a glob of purplish saliva dropping by his head as the heavy breathing Hermeneuta beast became visibly staring down at him. He swallowed pungent air, glad the Will hadn't done anything stupid, but Cornelia's "Earth!" was quickly followed by thin arms slipping under his own in a familiar way that Will would usually use to pick him up. He was glad though, as the table Cornelia had replaced him with was demolished on landing and Will quickly put him down, muttering a solid line of curses under her breath.

And then he was facing her. He vaguely thought of _thank you, _but the Hermeneuta beast was already on his tail; apparently going for the only person on ground. He rounded a corner and the Hermeneuta kept running; it's squeals following that of the child Hay Lin had been trying catch. Will followed quickly with Cornelia, adapting to the sharp corners they had to fly around, and it became easier to address both of them - mostly because he could look at Cornelia. "Thanks.."

"Guys? Even if we catch the mamma.. What do we hold her in!" Caleb looked blankly at Will, aware that Taranee was now standing next to her. Why hadn't he thought of that? Why couldn't he think? _'Because he was busy looking at Will..' _The small voice in the back of his mind made the tips of his ears go red and he suddenly felt hot and dry.. It was something Aldarn had said to Drake, but it seemed to apply now, though the context was completely different.. Right? ..Right; he was just embarrassed.. Cornelia rolled her eyes and Caleb couldn't take watching it again. Cornelia really needed to learn about respect.

Caleb glared at the blonde, quickly catching her eye as her eyes widened with a guilty shock. But that guilt wasn't directed to the right person, "And your whiny-assed opinion would be?"

Caleb smiled smugly as Cornelia floundered where she stood; he could see Will's cross between a grin and open mouthed 'o' as the redhead tried to comprehend what he'd said. But when he looked at her, her mouth quickly snapped shut and she gave him a scolding look that told him she wasn't happy with him dealing with her guardians for her.

"We don't need to catch her! She follows the baby!" Taranee gasped and Caleb looked at her, a little astonished. It was a very clever interpretation. And he could see where she was going. "And baby's hungry!"

**...**

"Okay, this is it!" Will crouched bottom right of the double-door frame, fingers entangled through the corner of netting she was holding ready. Taranee heated the chicken drumsticks, letting the smell waft around as Caleb crouched opposite her and Hay Lin and Cornelia on the top corners.

Will frowned and peered up as the net fluttered slightly; Hay Lin was sniffing the air loudly as the chicken's smell filtered through the room. "Ooh! That smells sooo good! I didn't have dinner, and-"

"Shht! Or you'll be dinner!" Will knew she'd probably ought to tell her off for that, and when she caught Caleb's curious glance she knew he thought the same. Cornelia was getting on a high horse again..

A high pitch squeal announced the arrival of baby, and as it bounded through the net, Taranee switched with Caleb, grabbing the corner of net so they could hold the Hermeneuta beast up in the air. "Listen you guys! He wants his mommy!"

"Yeah? Well they can have a dysfunctional family reunion on the other side! Tarane-" The thundering that had been in distance a few minutes ago, came thrashing after it's child, and Caleb ran first, throwing open the doors. Will pushed forward; her wings beating through the strain and she wondered how such a little thing could be so heavy. By effort alone it seemed to be heavier than Caleb, and for a split second Will worried the mother Hermeneuta would catch up before they managed to throw the child into the portal. After it's young, the mother jumped directly through as Taranee had predicted, and Will practically collapsed to the ground before de-transforming and closing up the tear.

"So, is anyone else hungry?" Will smiled up to Caleb, who opened the door and held it for them. Cornelia pushed past, obviously still mad at Caleb's sarcastic remark.

"I need a hot bath."

"I need to forget that this ever happened!" Taranee slung an arm around herself and Hay Lin, scowling at the purple goop and general destruction of the hall. "But my readers wont!"

**...**

"So, uh, was the evening as magical for you, as it was for me!" Irma felt some colour drain from her face when she saw how much hope there was in Martin's eyes. It wasn't a good night. It hadn't been fun and 'magical' had recently adopted a whole new meaning to her, so the word would not well describe her evening. But Martin was only a boy; about half a year younger than her he was still not ready to meet a full blow of rejection. So Irma smiled.

"I've had worse nights." It wasn't a lie; she pictured Lord Cedric and the many bugs she'd recently had to face. She pictured long nights of history homework she'd left until the day before its' due. She pictured Will; a girl she still barely knew, stuck between flames and smoke. She pictured nearly being hit by 'lurdens' and she pictured Caleb pulling her in to the flowery faces of Phobos' castle spies. It was nice for no one to have almost died today.

"Really!" Martin Tubbs dropped the ice creams he'd got for both of them as Irma pulled him into a hug. She didn't want him to take it the wrong way, but as much as she'd joked, the last few weeks had been scary. She could use the comfort.


	13. Chapter 13

"Time grows short, Cedric." Prince Phobos laced his fingers through the air, not quite touching the magic bubbling around the body and mind of his sister. His patience was waring thin and the longer these items were away from Elyon, the weaker her presence in the items grew.

Lord Cedric bowed down, having had just reported that he was yet to have her spirit. "I shall have her breath.. By tomorrow."

**...**

"Thank you." Cornelia had gone and Caleb knew that Will was standing directly behind him from the direction her voice came from. He turned to look down at her, hands at her sides with her fingers laced in a pattereb, one in, one out of her pockets. "For caring about what happened."

She didn't look sad or upset, with her gaze strong and direct. But her voice was drowning; the dim noises of the night overshadowing the raw emotions that lay there. He wasn't on the way to the dragon anymore though. He was offering to distract Lord Cedric, and a girl he hardly knew was stopping him just because he might not survive. "Thank you for caring what might."

And then they were stuck there, trapped in a compressed state of time where everything faded away. The reddish sky from the rising sun.. Hay Lin biting the last of the meat from a chicken drumstick.. A quirk of a smile fell over Will's lips, as if she understood, but she couldn't possibly know. And then he didn't know what to do. She'd let her head fall against his upper torso and she'd wrapped her arms around his middle. He supposed he could laugh, she couldn't naturally reach any higher than top of his stomach, but he wasn't sure if he was meant to hug her back. "Um, yeah.."

She'd slipped away. He almost felt a coldness of where her warmth was now missing, but he knew it was his fault for just standing there. And now she was shuffling awkwardly and looking at her feet, when all he wanted to tell her was how much he'd needed that and that with one movement he already felt better. "AWW! GUYS!"

"Hay Lin.." Will's voice was if possible smaller as she tried to push away the arm Hay Lin had wrapped over her shoulder, the girl's other arm around Caleb where Will's had just been. Replacing the cold feeling with an arm that didn't quite fit the same, as Hay Lin squeezed happily.

"Look who've made friends!" Will was wiggling out of the girl's grip, while Caleb took the gentler approach of using only the ends of his fingers to gently pry away cool, yellow-tinted skin. "And Irma made bets Will'd kill you first!"

The happy disbelief in Hay Lin's voice countered Caleb's shocked, "What! Why would Will kill me?"

"Oh, you know, she said you'd kill each other, but under closer inspection we decided Will would probably finish the job first.."

Will raised an eyebrow, grinning, "Hay Lin, Caleb is a trained killer.."

"Yeah, but after you kicked him in his manhood like that- Oh, sorry Caleb.."

Caleb sighed, rolling his eyes, but grinning when he realized that Will had suddenly turned visibly maroon.. And he doubted it was a reflection of the sunlight or her hair. "Why, you didn't do it.."

"Sorry about that.." Caleb gave up trying to get away from Hay Lin, and Will was far too embarrassed to remember what she'd been doing before this gawky apology, also leaving Hay Lin's arm wrapped around her. Caleb would be glad when they got Will home. Gladder when he could leave Hay Lin to the bounds of her bedroom and revisit the redhead in dreams he didn't quite understand..

**...**

"I'm always kind of sad after it rains.." Elyon helped to put away chairs from the reading earlier that night. It was great here, in the bookstore. She loved the slight smell of spices she was sure came for the owner of the shop; Cedric, and she loved the warm feeling she got, as if this place gave her something. And Cedric had left her; he'd gone through the shelves, apparently to a back door, and she'd been entrusted to stay alone. It didn't matter that it'd been all of five minutes. He'd come back with a happy smile on his face and gratitude for her staying.

Now he was back, stacking chairs with her, and had just commented on the weather. "I know what you mean.."

"I don't know how anyone can believe in this 'ghost' stuff.. Monsters? Magic?" Elyon flicked away a stray long hair which had somehow become loose from is braids.

"People are such a strange species." Elyon loved his voice; the smooth rhythm was almost slick, and made goosebumps travel down her body, it was cold.. But exciting.

"Yeah, totally! Like, Cornelia's supposed to be my best friend! But last night when I called, her mom told me she was _'out with the other girls'_. She didn't even invite me!" Elyon remembered calling to ask the blonde to come to the reading with her; it wasn't very exciting, and even Cedric hadn't liked the particular poet, but she'd been asked to help and it was the store's first 'event'. Elyon remembered seeing Irma there, "And what's up with Irma! She doesn't even like that boy she was with! I thought Martin was meant to be in the school watching for the ghost anyways!"

"Interesting.." Cedric bent down, pulling up a box, "Soon you'll find the people who really understand you."

"Well," Elyon leaned against a table, "I think you do.."

"I'm glad you feel that way.." Cedric rummaged into the box and pulled out a pack of balloons. He pulled one out and offered the pack to Elyon, "For the window display. Do you mind?"

"Uh, sure." Cedric started blowing one up, and Elyon pulled one out herself. He was quick to finish; nimble hands tying the end with professional ease. He went to put it in the window, looking out at the reddish sky. "There's always a nice sunrise.. After the rain."

* * *

><p>Did a switch around there, so there is one tiny chapter to come.. Hope you enjoy the fluff... :)<p> 


	14. Chapter 14

"And then when I turned around they were hugging!" Irma raised an eyebrow, trying to depict whether it was more likely for Will and Caleb to hug, or for the sweetly naive Hay Lin to lie. "Well, Will was hugging Caleb; he was just kind of standing there, but he looked happy-ish."

"You're lying." Irma grinned. Hay Lin was absolutely lying. Will Vandom had not even issued any of the girls with hugs. Will Vandom did not hug Caleb. "You are pulling our legs."

"Who cares if she hugged him anyway? I mean, she was upset right?" Irma thought she could detect a hint of jealousy in Cornelia's voice, but as far as Irma knew, Will was the only of the pair displaying affection. And Irma still couldn't believe it.

I don't believe it."

Taranee rearranged her glasses slightly, "I thought Will didn't like Caleb?"

"Who cares," Hay Lin smiled gleefully, "It was so incredibly.."

"Will doesn't hug."

"AAWWWW!" Hay Lin continued; everyone appeared to be ignoring Irma.

"Will didn't hug Caleb."

Then Irma had lost Taranee, "But if he really did say what you said he did.."

"I would hug Phobos if he said that to me!" Hay Lin jumped in the air. What did he say? What did Caleb say?

"What di-"

"Guys." Will was suddenly right in front of them, pointing behind her to.. Uriah. Getting a belting. "Uriah poured slime on Martin and now he's getting blamed for the whole thing!"

"Yes!" Irma knew how glad Taranee was to get rid of the weeks 'news exploit ghost'. "Well, that's another story ending.."

* * *

><p>Yes, it's bloomin' cr*p, but I have a challenge to write as much of the next ep as possible (hopefully the whole thing)with my day off school as he pipe is burst.. Sorry.<p> 


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